CHUCHO VALDES
Live At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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With the newfound, unprecedented zeal for Cuban music, Chucho Valdés is once again a hot commodity. Not that he ever stopped being hot, mind you. Saucy piano prowess has always been on the menu, and this time Valdés plies his bouncy trade in front of an enthusiastic audience at the famed basement jazz club. Allowing the odd conga interlude and a thick bass line, Valdés makes sure the piano is up front and personal for the duration. Played like the percussive instrument it truly is, the piano is a magical device when in Valdés' hands.

© 2000 - John Sekerka